Tuesday, August 1, 2006

Malaria Tuesday

Day 22, Tuesday, August 1 Malaria Tuesday.
If I haven't said it before, I call Tuesdays, "Malaria Tuesday" because it helps me to remember to take my anti-malaria pills, which need to be taken on the same day once a week. Today is a writing day and I will sort my gear if there is afternoon sun, or at least in the afternoon even if there is no sun. I plan to set aside some things for discard and begin to pack away things that will not be used during my last week. I will take minimal clothing to the Cantiles flycamp, expecting to wear the same clothes through the week, with only 2 changes, though if it is like Guanales I will only change my clothes once. That will minimize the amount of dirty clothes I pack for departure. Sergio took a load of my laundry to Buenos Aires when he was called away last evening to assist with camp management. I have heard rumors that one of the volunteers or staff was threatened by a local with a gun. I will find out the scoop when Sergio returns tomorrow.

Matt announces that there’s a snake in the showers and 8 scientists jump up from the science room tables and run out the door and down the wooden stairs in a comedic burst. In their haste, the three herp biologists leave a small black snake, a new species discovery for the park, loose on the table. It is recovered by a fourth disgruntled herp team member who chides the others for leaving this incredible find in their rush to grab a common blunt nosed snake. All in good spirits. A couple new snakes as well as three salamanders have been discovered, new records for Cusuco Park. Ima, one of the young volunteers (dissertation student?), singing one minute checking emails suddenly begins to shake and tear up, as she has been sent an email that her uncle has died. Whomever has chosen to pass the information on in an email to a poor girl who can do nothing productive with this information in a remote jungle, with no means for comfort, has done so in bad form. She can do nothing with that information, except feel awful and alone. It was not well thought out.

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